Introductions and Conclusions

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Introductionsand Conclusions
Introduction
Introduction
Conclusion

• Social Studies
• Writing Series 6

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RememberAn Essay is like a Tour

• To go on a tour, you need a _________ (
  introduction)
• After you get off the tour, you still have
  __________ ( conclusion)

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Introductions
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Introduction Ticket

• What do you need on a ticket?
• What (Subject)
• When (Time)
• Where (Place)

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Find the subject, time and place on each ticket
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What makes a good intro?

• Catches the readers attention
• Sets the stage for whats in the essay
• Narrows to a thesis
• Makes the reader want to keep reading

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Strategy 1

• Choose any school-appropriate movie or TV show
  and view just the opening sequence (before the
  title appears)
• Have students identify the subject, time, and
  place for the movie
• Have students predict what the movie will be
  about (What are the clues they use?)
• Suggestions Raiders of the Lost Ark, Simpsons,
  Princess and the Frog, etc.

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Strategy 2

• Choose an Essential Question from a curriculum
  bundle
• Have students write an introduction to that
  Essential Question which includes the subject,
  time, and place (but not the thesis statement)

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Strategy 3

• Have an introduction contest
• For any essay that you assign, have each class
  choose the best 2-3 introductions for that class
• Post the introductions (without names) in the
  cafeteria or hallway and give each student in
  that team or grade level one sticker dot to place
  on the introduction he/she likes the best
• Alternate suggestion Ask your principal or AP
  to act as the judge for the best introduction

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Strategy 4

• For any essay assigned, choose a students
  introduction which could be improved (do this
  anonymously!)
• In small groups or as a whole class, rewrite the
  introduction so that it includes subject, time
  and place, uses strong verbs and descriptive
  adjectives, and invites the reader to continue
  reading

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Strategy 5

• Choose several introductions from an assigned
  essay and remove names
• Divide introductions among groups and ask the
  groups to describe how they would film this
  introduction, if they were movie directors
• Which actors would they use?
• What would each of the costumes look like?
• What would be in the background?
• What would the characters say and do?

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Strategy 6

• Using the thesis statements from previous
  trainings, practice writing introductions
• See handout

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Conclusions
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Memories Conclusion

• We can think about memories in terms of a
  scrapbook. What were the pictures and stories
  that capture the most important parts of your
  trip?
• Pictures Important moments
• Stories What did you learn on your tour?
  What were the highlights? What will you remember?

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What makes a good conclusion?

• Restates the thesis with new words
• Pulls the body paragraphs back together
• Explains why the essay is important to know
• Has a clincher statement that answers the
  question So what?

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Strategy 1

• Give each student 4 conclusions and ask them to
  score the conclusions using the rubric (next
  slide)
• The AP Vertical Teams Guide for Social Studies
  has sample conclusions on p. 149
• Use conclusions from student essays from a
  previous or current year and remove names

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Strategy 1
Conclusion Scoring Guidelines 0 Not present 1
Present but flawed and incomplete 2 Present 3
Present and sophisticated Score _____
Reinforces thesis Score _____ Synthesizes/summariz
es essay in a new way Score _____ Answers the
question So what? Writers name
________________________________ Evaluators name
_____________________________
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Strategy 2

• Locate the handout Conclusion Practice
• Choose 4 thesis statements and do the following
• Restate the thesis
• Answer the question So What?

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Strategy 3

• For any essay assigned, choose a students
  conclusion which could be improved (do this
  anonymously!)
• In small groups or as a whole class, rewrite the
  conclusion so that it includes a restatement of
  the thesis, a synthesis of the topic statemnts,
  and an answer to the question So what?